Giveaway: Sparkly Green Earrings

February 4, 2013

Yesterday we had some lovely time with our grown kids, and I found it especially delightful to watch my little 8 year old play with her baby nephews. She loves them like crazy and they think she is utterly wonderfully fun. It’s just a fabulous stage of life to be at– still with my own ‘babies’ at home, but also getting to snuggle on these first grandbabies of ours.

Speaking of beautiful moments in motherhood, today I’ve got a delightful book to give away. It is called Sparkly Green Earrings: Catching the Light at Every Turn and was written by the wonderful Melanie who writes the blog Big Mama. She and I traveled to the Dominican Republic together on behalf of Compassion International a few years back, and hers is one of the blogs I have read constantly ever since I started reading blogs way back in 2006.

The thing that’s so wonderful about Mel’s writing is the way she lets you into her life and shares the mundane and the wonderful and the everyday, all mixed together with her trademark sense of humor. Her book is just as good as her blog– a mix of humor and story-telling and thoughtfulness– a sure winner for any momma who’s felt overwhelmed by her job even as she knows darned well how important it is. If you need a dash of humorous inspiration in your life this week, I hope you’ll consider buying a copy.

If you’d like a chance to win a copy, comment below and share a moment of your life lately. Maybe it was funny, maybe it was thought-provoking, or something to especially cherish. I’d love to hear about it. I’ll pick a winner at the end of the week!

{ 40 Comments }

I have already pre-ordered Mel’s book, so I will enter on behalf of my own baby girl who is expecting *her* first baby (and a GIRL ♥).

She is in for such a journey (in fact,she is in the point of her pregnancy where feeling the baby kick for the first time is imminent)
and I know that Mel’s book will be a welcome read and relief. Knowing you are not alone in those feelings of motherhood … and looking to try and find the humor as you can is so vitally important.

It seemed like all the books out when I was carrying her were all so very serious and clinically informative.

Good luck to one and all! And again- Congratulations of the highest variety again, Mel! We are all so, so very excited for you!!!! ♥

You never stop being a mama no matter how old your kids are. In our case, one child’s family moved this past weekend and another child’s family was going to help. They were all driving in the wintry snow/ice/rain mix on winding mountain roads running next to a river, and even though they are in their late 30’s Mama was concerned until I heard that they’d all arrived safely.

I’ve enjoyed the Big Mama blog for several years and I know her book will be just as good.

last night we had our whole family over to watch the Super bowl. I have a new grandson,age 6, through the marriage of my daughter. He innocently (i’m hoping it was innocent) commented that i have a big bottom. ouch! LOL No one else heard him say this and I’m sure his daddy would be embarrassed to know. So, I’m starting my diet today….again.
BTW, I’d love to win that book. Thanks.

Yesterday my mom and I enjoyed watching the Super Bowl together. I used to hate sports, but I’ve really enjoyed expanding my horizons and developing new hobbies to share with my mom. I’d say our relationship has deepened more since I hit adulthood than it did during my teenage years. I’m not a mom myself, but I would love to be in the future. I love Mel’s blog because she writes with such grace and humor about her faith and family.

I love Melanie’s blog. She makes me laugh out loud but also can be very thoiught provoking as well. I have four wonderful kiddos. My youngest is three and is by far the most independent of them all. Yesterday we had some friends over and suddenly I looked around and said “where’s Jonah?” I found him downstairs on the computer! We have to watch this one!

I love Melanie’s blog! and I would love to have her book!
This weekend we celebrated two wonderful events – my father-in-law’s 80th birthday and my great-nephew’s first birthday! Two miraculous events in their own ways. We are so blessed!

We got to “babysit” our nieces last weekend. We shared some special occasions (a concert in the city with extended family), some mundane (getting out the door to the school bus on time), some fun (dinner at a local pizza joint), and more. A fun ~ and special ~ time!

I, too, have been reading Big Mama since I discovered blogs. During a recent recovery from surgery, I went back and started reading through her archives. It was just the dose of laughter that I needed!

A moment this week… had to wonder, when did she grow up, as my last of ten- my 14 year old daughter were watching the super bowl and she was explaining the game to me (never have understood this game) with a gleam in her eye that she ‘got’ this event and was having a blast trying to explain it to me. While not empty nest yet, this last week (two older daughters who had been living at home went on year-long adventure to Asia) both she and I have tried to be cheerful and enjoy the quiet house and I have been sad to realize that soon my house will truly just be me.
Oh!!!Don’t send me the book–no new books allowed in my house these days after purging the place of over 3,000 books in the last year by giving to a local school. Nope no electronic books either just ones from the library.

I read yor blog all the time…we have two little ones (2 and 6) from Ethiopia, and I love reading about all your tips. We are also currently in process of bringing home a sibling group of three from there! I recently found Melanie’s blog through you and love her humor. I would love a copy of her book. :). Have a great week Mary!

My heart is and has always been tender for adoption, which is why I probably bookmarked your blog all the way back at the very beginning of my blog reading in 2005. We still have yet to adopt, but after asking a dear friend to pray a couple of days ago my Darling Prince is investigating the possibility again and is open to the idea for the first time in a long time. That’s what has been going on in my world, and I am excited about what God will do with the stirrings of our hearts this year. Would love to read Melanie’s book after reading her blog for several years now.

Let’s see…my day has consisted of waking up at 4am to feed my 7 week old only to find out that my 3 year old threw up on his bed, so I had to clean that up, got back in bed to my 4 year old waking me up to say she was ready to get up…at 5 am! Thankfully all went back to sleep but it has been a bit of a rough day!
I so want to read Melanie’s book, it is only list to buy but hey, maybe I can win a copy instead 🙂

The Big Mama Blog is great! She is so inspirational and hilarious. I’ve recently been called to serve in our youth program at church and it’s been so amazing. I spend time with a group of teenage girls 2 days a week and I’ve learned so much about myself and about them and about the gospel in new ways. I love the friends I’m making, even though we’re years apart and probably wouldn’t have been close otherwise. It’s a really awesome experience.

We went sledding and then had hot chocolate. One child has a bump on the head from falling of the sled when they accidently went off a ramp. Some days I feel like I am overwhelmed. I could probably use Melanie’s book.

I’m currently snuggled up with my 1 week old son. He made his entrance to the world at 41weeks 6 days despite me being convinced he was going to be early. January was a LONG month! We waited to see if he was a boy or girl and I got the opportunity to pull him out of the water and announce he was a boy, our 4th baby and 4th boy! A few days after his birth I turned 30. It’s been a blessed few weeks.

All four kids–ages 6 and down–were sick at the beginning of the year (and again now, for that matter!)and the whole family was seated around the table attempting a simple meal. As all four kids took turns coughing, my husband exclaimed, “Ah, the music of the infirmary.” I quipped back, “Yes, cacophony!” A good laugh definitely helped us through those sick days!

Don’t know if this is exactly what you are looking for… but my day has pretty much been consumed with mastitis. Haven’t had it in almost eight years. I’m grateful for antibiotics, a doctor’s office that would call it in w/o me having to go for an appointment, a sister that would bring over the RX, and big kids (9 almost 10 years old and 7 1/2) who changed diapers, feed the 4 1/2 year old and 2 1/2 year old twins. Grateful for an eight month old baby that is so content and spent the day sleeping or rolling/ scooting on the floor. Grateful for a husband’s love and for a God who sees and cares.

This day has been a long one, the younger ones were super cranky and the older ones tried hard to not be cranky even though they did stay up for the whole game. But we had some times when the oldest asked if he could make some Valentines–of course! The older two were creative, the younger two were all excited to color as well and I let them use the markers. (Very rare after several wall coloring instances.) I was surprised how quickly the youngest could mark himself when my back was turned for just a moment! He’s a sneaky one. 🙂 We keep going back to “Good thing he’s cute!”

I enjoyed dome “quality time” with my teenager at the urgent care center after a minor -ish injury – our laughter when I pulled a Sharpie from my purse and encouraged her as she drew a big smile on the required surgical mask changed a somewhat stressful time of waiting into a chance to giggle over whether anyone noticed it…

fun moment yesterday- i’m pregnant and have 6, ages 11, 9, 7, 6, 5, and 4. Our 6 year old came to us through adoption nearly 2 years ago. So it isn’t as if it’s been YEARS since we’ve added to our family. Still, with our “baby” being 4 1/2 it is really a delight to us all that we get to have another baby. The oldest asked when we’d be putting the baby in the room with him and his brother and I said probably never due to the huge age difference and the fact that the “big boys” will be in the basement. He looked REALLY dissapointed. Then I said, “but maybe we’ll have another baby and then they can share a room.” At that point all the kids started cheering and jumping up and down and clapping etc, expressing their joy over babies 🙂 The look on my husband’s face when I shared this story with him was priceless.

I have a baby who is just learning to crawl and watching a little one practice and figure things out and try again is amazing and I am in awe of our Creator. Also, one of my older kids has been quite sick for several days (doing much better today… ptL) and it was precious to me when our whole family laid hands on him and just prayed for God to heal him. They really do love each other despite the fighting and arguing I hear daily to make me believe otherwise.

I am a loyal reader of Melanie’s blog as well. I would love love love to win a copy of her book!
A moment for me came recently when I read the quote “Don’t get so caught up in raising a good kid that you forget you already have one.” I need to remind myself of this more.

Yesterday was my daughters 2nd birthday! It was so much fun just to watch her get excited eating supper and loving her ice cream. She got excited about all of her presents. It was a special evening celebrating as a (little) family. 🙂

I worked all day at school and now I am working at home. Getting dinner ready and listening to my sons play nerf basketball in the basement, actually getting a long :). My girls are both doing homework and we are waiting on daddy to get home from work. Peaceful!

Our life feels filled with medical moments lately…namely our 11 year olds back surgery in 2 weeks as well as a cousin who is unwell and a Grandpa having surgery. Enjoying the quite moments while we recover between stretches of crazy.

It is amazing how the time flies by. My daughter who is 14 this year has a job internship, is getting ready to get a driving permit this year, and is already looking at colleges – where, oh where, did my baby go?!? She is growing into such an amazing young lady!

Trackbacks

[…] the two books I’ve given away in the last week. Puria goes to commenter #14-ginny jolin, and Sparkly Green Earrings goes to commenter #20-Kaeteh. Email me with your snail mail addresses, folks, and I’ll get […]

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